Sarah Green Column

Uk businesses face two critical international challenges: the unstoppable forces of the globalising economy and the rising threat of climate change. Neither can be ducked.

This is not new territory for the CBI and for business, but it is of ever increasing importance. Issues such as climate change are far more complex than localised pollution incidents.

It is clear that rules need to be developed and implemented much more carefully. For example, the current waste regulations resulting in power station ash being dumped in landfill sites rather than reused in road construction. Rules such as this stop business from taking the sustainable approach.

Poor implementation of rules such as the constant chopping and changing, and missed deadlines, of the 'WEEE Directive' on electrical waste, has left companies unable to commit to investment to improve recycling.

Furthermore badly designed environmental rules can impose unnecessary or disproportionate administrative or financial requirements. BMW says the cost of its calculating obligations under the Packaging Directive is four times more expensive than the recycling bill itself. …

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